Webbing support for upholstered furniture



16, 1937, s. s. BERNSTEIN www WEBBING lSUPPORTI FOR UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE 2 sheets-sheet l` Filed March 30, 1936 .m Q la n W @0 J m 0 5 March 16, 937. s. s. BERNSTEIN WEBBING SUPPORT FOR UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE Filed March 30, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jambe! .S 5er/wiel?? iatenteci Mar. 16, 1937' UNITED STATE WEBBING SUPPORT FOR UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE 1 Samuel S. Bernstein, Beverly Hills, Calif.

Application March.V 30, 1936, Serial No. 71,616

l' I3 Claims.

110 character described and illustrated in Patent No. 2,014,611, issued to me on September 17th, 1935 which extendclear across the frame beneath the bottom sheet and `which are suspended from vertically spaced points on the frame, such l suspending means being connected to the bottom fabric support at points which are situated a substantial distance inwardly from the sides of the frame. the fact that attempts have been made to provide a suspension for the'fabric bottom from an elevated point on the frame rail. In such prior constructions with which I am familiar, however, when weight is applied to the seat the tension created in the suspending members tends to twist the top of the rail inwardly and particularly in the case of a long frame piece, as ina davenport, such a construction causes warpage in the f front rail of the seat. It is an important feature of this invention that the suspension member w is connected with the bottom of the frame as yieldable support for the bottom sheet when the` seat is occupied and which will at the same time draw the bottom sheet back to horizontal position when the weight on the same is lremoved. The'flexible supporting means provides a construction in which the fabric bottom is maintained level when the seat is unoccupied, there being no ridges formed in the bottom sheet. This naturally reduces wear and strain in the fabric and avoids tilting of the springs.

In this .same connection it is a further object of this invention to -provide a construction of the class described in which the supporting and suspending means are adapted for movable adjustrnent with respect to the fabric sheet which 5 5 further eliminates strain in the fabric which In thisY connection I am aware of would be encountered if the suspending means wereldirectly attached to the fabric. Further in this regard my invention contemplates, as pointed out above, supporting means which eX- tend' inwardly from the edges of the frame, such supporting means being associated with the flexible supporting and suspending means so as to receive any'wear occasioned by relative movement of the exible supporting means thereby eliminating the possibility of stretch or strain and wear in the fabric.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a construction of the class described in which the parts are so shaped that there are no sharp edges or ridges tending to cut into the fab-ric sheet and wear the same and to further provide a construction in which there are no parts tending to apply direct tension to the fabric at different points.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a device of the class described which is of simple form and construction and may be economically manufactured and installed with aminimum oflabor and adjustment. The details in the construction of a preferred form of my invention, together with other 4objects attending its production will' be best understood from the following description of the accompanying drawings which are chosen for illustra-tive purposes only and in which- Fig. 1 is an inverted plan View showing a chair bottom equipped with a preferred embodiment of my invention; y

Fig. 2is an enlarged sectionalV elevation taken in a plane represented by the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken in a plane represented bythe line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. fi is a perspective View showing a preferred construction'in the end supporting segment or narrow plate which is contemplated for use in a preferred embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation similar to Fig. 2 showing a modified form of construction;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional elevation showing another modified form of my invention;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section taken in a plane represented by the line 'l-l of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional elevation similar to Fig. 6 showing another modification of the construction illustrated in Fig'. 6;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view taken in a plane represented by the line 9--9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary `sectional elevation showing a modied form of the constructie shown in Fig. 2; and

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Fig. l1 is a sectional View taken in a plane represented by the line II-II of Fig. 10.

More particularly describing the invention as herein illustrated, reference numeral II indicates the seat frame of a chair or the like which is shown as comprising side rails I2, I2 and I3, I3', the rails I3 and I3 comprising the front and rear of the frame respectively. The frame is shown as being provided with legs generally indicated by reference numeral I4 of any conventional construction. Reference numeral I5 indicates what I may term a flexible sheet which is formed of any fabric material, such as burlap and is secured at its margin directly to the undersides of the respective frame rails in any suitable manner such as by means of tacks I6. The fabric sheet I5 is shown as supporting a coil spring assembly of any conventional type indicated generally by reference numeral I1. This spring assembly I1 is designed to support the chair cushion, not shown.

As was previously pointed out, it is a primary object of this invention to provide in an upholstery construction of the class described, improved means for supporting the intermediate or mid portion of the fabric sheet. In the embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, such supporting means are shown as comprising suitable flexible members such as wires, flexible metal straps or cables 20 which have their ends secured to opposite side rails I3 and I3 at points vertically spaced above the bottom sheet I5 as indicated at 2| and 22. In this form of my invention the ends of these flexible members or cables are shown as being secured to the upper edges of the rails, but it will be understood that they may be secured to points on the inner sides of the rails depending upon the height of the rails used. The cable or flexible member 20 has an intermediate portion 2|Ji which extends beneath the mid portion of the sheet I5 and the ends 20e and 23e of the flexible member extend through openings 23 and 23 in the fabric bottom situated a substantial distance inwardly from the corresponding sides of the frame so that the portions 20e and 20e' constitute angularly extending suspension members for the intermediate portion 201' located beneath the fabric bottom.

Since the member 20 is, as was pointed out above, of a flexible nature, it provides a yieldable support for the spring unit I1 and permits of a slight relative movement between the sheet I5 and the cable in the regions where the cable passes through the sheet. Furthermore, these members, being flexible, always return to a horizontal plane when the seat is unoccupied, as compared with rigid members which become bent and deformed.

In order to protect the sheet from Wear during such movement and further in order to provide a support which extends clear across the bottom of the frame, and fabric, and thereby eliminates the twisting or warping action referred to above, I provide in the form of my invention shown in Fig. 2 a pair of end supports indicated by reference numerals 25 and 25. These end supports 25 and 25 are in the nature of narrow thin metal plates secured to the underside of the frame by means such as tacks 26 and extending inwardly therefrom in substantial alignment with the ilexible member 20. The plates 25 are of a length such that they extend inwardly slightly beyond the point at which the ends 20e and 20' extend through the sheet I5 and are provided with openings 26 and 26" through which the ends of the flexible members extend in passing throughthe sheet. These openings are preferably formed by stamping a short lip 21 upwardly from the plate, such lip being pointed so that it serves the dual purpose of perforating the fabric sheet and forming a bearing against which the end portion 20e rides in passing through the sheet.

In order that the plate member 25 may present no sharp cutting edge to the sheet, I consider it preferable to curve the end of the same concavely with respect to the sheet as indicated at 28 in Fig. 4. Also to assist in supporting the plate member 25 and to provide additional rigidity in a horizontal plane, I prefer to provide the end of the plate member adjacent the frame with an upwardly extending pointed lip 29 adapted to pierce the fabric and t against the inner face of the rail. This lip is provided with an opening 30 designed to receive a securing member such as a tack 3|.

In order to give additional resiliency to the supporting means as described so far, I consider it preferable in some circumstances to employ a resilient attachment for at least one end of the flexible supporting member. For example, in Fig. 2 I show the end 20e as being secured to the frame through the medium of a flexible flat spring bracket 35, such bracket being shown as having a at portion 36 extending across the top face of the rail I3 and a downwardly extending lip 31 engaging the outer face of such rail, the bracket being secured to the rail through the medium of tacks 38 and the lip 31 may be provided with pointed prongs 38. 'I'he ends 20e of the cable may be secured to this bracket in any suitable manner such as by means of a loop 40 which passes through an aperture in the end of the bracket.

Fig. 5 illustrates a modified form of construction similar to that shown in Fig. 2 in all essential respects except the manner in which the resiliency in the supporting structure is obtained. In this form of my invention the end 40e of the flexible member 40 is xedly attached to the frame through the medium of a tack or nail 4I. At the point where the end 4e passes through the opening in the fabric sheet I5 the flexible member passes through an eye 42 formed on the end of. a coil spring 43, the other end of which is attached to a fixed pin 44 mounted in the bottom yof the rail I3a. This coil spring 43 serves the purpose of providing an extended support for the fabric bottom. It also provides the resiliency desired in such support and in addition to that the eye 42 receives the wear from the exible member 40 and protects the fabric sheet against wear.

As has been previously indicated it is one important feature of this invention that the supporting means which carries the weight applied to the intermediate portion of the fabric bottom is attached to the rail of the frame at vertically spaced points thereon. As shown in the various forms of my invention which are chosen for purposes of illustration herein, it will be observed that the portion of the flexible member which extends beneath the fabric bottom is not only suspended through the medium of end sections thereon from the top of the adjacent frame rail, but it is also attached through the medium of the plate member to the bottom of the frame rail. In this way the tension created in the intermediate portion of the flexible member is applied to vertically spaced points on the frame rail thereby avoiding any twisting or warping action in the frame as isoccasioned in types ofA construction wherein the supporting member is suspended from the top portion of the rail only.

In Fig. 6 I show another modied form of construction in which the flexible member I) is of a nature such that it has an inherent resiliency p sullicient to draw the bottom supporting section Ez' back to a horizontal plane when the seat is unoccupied. This construction is shown asbeing mounted in a frame generally indicated by reference numeral 5l, such frame having a fabric bottom 52. The intermediate supporting. section 50i is comprised of two flexible metal straps 50 which extend through the fabricand through narrow plates 25h, such straps having their bot- 1' tom end portions locked together through the medium of clamps 53 to form lthe intermediate section 50i. These straps 50 are preferably shaped with curved'end portions 50e which are secured to the upper edge of the frame rails through the medium oftacks 54, the curved end portions affording suilicient resiliency to draw the bottom section 5in back to its horizontal plane when th-e seat is unoccupied. l

The form of my invention shown in Fig. 8 is the same in principle as that shown in Fig. 6 except that the bottom plate member 25h yis eliminated.` In this form of my inventionthe flexible strap member .P50 has a curved end portion 60e', the upper end of which is secured to the top of the frame 5I throughthe medium of tacks 54 and at the bottom of the curved end 60e the strap is provided with a return bend 6l which extends toward the frame rail a substantial distanceand then laps backs on itself to form an extension which can be connected through the medium of clamps 63 to a vcorresponding extension'on the other strap to form the intermediate supporting sectionlii.

In the form of my invention shown in Fig. 10 I show a construction which is similar in its principle of operation to the'structure shown on the right hand side of Fig. 2. In this type of construction, however, instead of securing the flexible supporting member 'Ill to the end portion of a resilient bracket I show this member as having its end l0 'secured in any suitable manner such as by looping it over a hook 'Il on the end of a bracket l2, to the outer face of the frame rail 13. f

This flexible member then passes along the top of this horizontal flat spring metal bracket which has a-top portion 'M extending inwardly a substantial distance. The inner end of this bracket is notched as indicated at 'l5 and the flexible member l0 passes down through this notch'then through the fabric bottom 76 and an opening in the end portion of a plate bracket 'l1 after which the intermediate portion 'mi thereof extends beneath the fabric lbottom to provide the intermediate support therefor. a

It will be understood thaty the number of these supporting unitsfwhich are employed in a given seat construction will depend largely upon the size of the seat and the character of the support desired. I consider it preferable to position these members beween adjacent rows of coil springs in the unit il and while I have herein described and illustrated certain preferred forms of my invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction described above, but includes within its scope whatever changes fairly come within the spirit of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an article of furniture which includes a frame having a flexible spring supporting sheet Aconnected to the bottom of said frame, support- Vframe having a flexible spring supporting sheet secured at its edges to the bottom of said frame, supporting means for the mid portion of said sheet comprising a flexible member having its' ends secured to opposite sides of said frame at a substantial distance above said bottom sheet, said flexible member having an intermediate portion extending beneath the mid portion of said sheet and a narrow plate member secured to the bottom of said frame beneath said sheet, said plate 'member having its inner end supported by said llexible member at the point where the latter passes through said sheet.

3. In an articleof furniture which includes a frame having a flexible spring supporting sheet connected to the bottom of said frame, supporting means for the mid portion of said sheet comprising a flexible member having its ends secured to opposite sides of said frame at a substantial distance above said sheet, said flexible member having an intermediate portion extending beneath the mid portion of said sheet, resilient means connecting one end of said flexible member to said frame, and means connecting said intermediate portion of said flexible member to the bottom of said frame, said means being in alignment with said intermediate portion.

4. In an article of furniture which includes a frame having a flexible spring supporting sheet secured at its edges to the bottom of said frame, supporting means for the mid portion of said sheet comprising a llexible member having its `ends secured to opposite sides of said frame at a substantial distance above said bottom sheet, said exible member having an intermediate portion extending beneath the mid portion of said sheet,

a narrow plate member secured to the bottom of` said framel beneath said sheet in substantial alignment with the intermediate portion of said exible member; said plate member having its inner end slidably supported by said flexible member at the point where the latter passes through said sheet and resilient means connecting one end portionfof said flexible member to said frame.

5. In an article of furniture which includes a frame having a flexible spring supporting sheet secured at its edges to the bottom of said frame, supporting means for the mid-portion of said sheet comprising Va llexible member having its ends secured to opposite sides of said frame at a substantial distance above said bottom sheet, said flexible member having an intermediate portion extending beneath the mid portion of said sheet and a narrow plate member secured to the bottom of said frame beneath said sheet in substantial alignment with the intermediate portion of said flexible member; said plate member having its inner end slidably' supported by said ilexible member at the point where the latter passes through said sheet the inner end of said plate member being curved convexly with respect to said sheet.

6. In upholstery construction, a frame, a flexible sheet for the bottom of said frame, means securing the margin of said sheet directly to said frame, a flexible member having an intermediate portion extending beneath the mid portion of said sheet and having its ends extending through said sheet at points spaced away from opposite sides of said frame, means securing the ends of said flexible member to they sides of said frame at points vertically spaced from the bottom thereof, and yieldable means beneath said sheet attached to the bottom of said frame and connected to said intermediate portion of said flexible member.

7. In upholstery construction, a frame, a flexible sheet for the bottom of said frame, means securing the margin of said sheet directly to-said frame, a exible member having an intermediate portion extending beneath the mid portion of said sheet and having its ends extending through said sheet at points spaced from opposite sides of said frame, means securing the ends of said flexible member to the sides of saidframe at points vertically spaced from the bottom thereof, said last mentioned means including a resilient member attached to said frame and secured to one end of said exible member, and yieldable means comprising members beneath said sheet attached to the bottom of said frame and each having a hole at its inner end through which said flexible member extends.

8. In upholstery construction, a frame; a flexible sheet for the bottom of said frame; means securing the margin of said sheet directly to said frame; a flexible member having an intermediate portion extending beneath the mid portion of said sheet and having its ends extending through said sheet at points spaced away from opposite sides of said frame; and means securing the ends of said flexible member to the sides of said frame at points vertically spaced from the bottom thereof said last mentioned means including a flat spring bracket attached to said-frame and secured to one end of said flexible member.

9. In upholstery construction, a frame; a flexible sheet for the bottom of said frame; means securing the margin of said sheet directly to said frame; a flexible member having an intermediate portion extending beneath the mid portion of said sheet and having its ends extending through said sheet at points spaced away from opposite sides of said frame; means securing the ends of said flexible member to the sides of said frame at points vertically spaced from the bottom thereof and a narrow plate member secured to said frame beneath said sheet and extending inwardly from said frame in substantial alignment with the intermediate portion of said flexible member, said plate member having an opening at its inner end through which said flexible member slidably extends.

10. In upholstery construction, a frame; a flexible sheet for the bottom of said frame; means securing the margin of said sheet directly to said frame; a flexible member having an intermediate portion extending beneath the mid portion of said sheet and having its ends extending through said sheet at points spaced away from opposite sides of said frame; means securing the ends of said exible member to the sides of said frame at points vertically spaced from the bottom thereof and a coil spring secured to said frame beneath said sheet and extending inwardly from said frame in substantial alignment with the intermediate portion of said flexible member, said coil spring having a loop at its inner end through which said flexible member slidably extends.

11. In upholstery construction: a frame; a flexible sheet for the bottom of said frame; means securing the margin of said sheet directly to said frame; a pair of oppositely positioned narrow plate members secured to opposite sides of said frame beneath said sheet and extending 'inwardly a substantial distance from the corresponding sides of said frame; a flexible member having an intermediate portion positioned beneath the portion of said sheet between the ends of said plates, and having its ends extending upwardly through openings in the inner ends of said plates and said sheet; and means securing the ends of said ilexible member to the sides of said frame in vertically spaced relation with said sheet and said plates.

12. In upholstery construction: a frame; a flexible sheet for the bottom of said frame; means securing the margin of said sheet directly to said frame; a pair of oppositely positioned narrow plate members secured to opposite sides of said frame beneath said sheet and extending inwardly a substantial distance from the corresponding sides of said frame; a flexible member having an intermediate portion positioned beneath the portion of said sheet between the ends of said plates, and having its ends extending upwardly through openings in the inner ends of said plates and said sheet; and means securing the ends of said ilexible member to the sides of said frame in vertically spaced relation with said sheet said last mentioned means including a resilient bracket attached to said frame and secured to one end of said exible member.

13. In an article of furniture having a frame and a flexible spring supporting sheet secured at its edges to the bottom of said frame, the combination of a flexible member having its ends secured to opposite sides of said frame at a substantial distance above said sheet, said exible member having an intermediate portion extending beneath the mid portion of said sheet, and

yieldable means attached to the bottom of said frame and connected to the intermediate portion of said flexible member.

SAMUEL S. BERNSTEIN. 

